A Noisy Library is a Happy Library????

Three comment cards were recently recieved on how noisy the library is.

The New city Library is not the library of old dedicated to quiet study and reading. The library is evolving into a lively community destination for reading, films, programs and more. With so much excitement going on it is hard to keep quiet.

With that said, the library does recognize that we have an obligation to provide a time and space for quiet reading. The reference desk, where customers are asking questions and seeking solutions is naturally going to be noisy. The children’s room, the teen area and space directly outside the meeting rooms are places to avoid if you want some peace and quiet. The New City Library also has to contend with noise bouncing up and across the floors and the mezzanine.

In the best of all possible worlds the library should have an enclosed study room with good lighting and a variety of furniture for quiet reflective study. If given the chance such a space would be in the program building specifications of any future Library renovations.

In the mean time please consider the following areas of the library if you want a little quiet. The Mystery Room does not have tables but does have limited seating away from the crowd. The Rockland Room offers a certain degree of privacy, but it is often occupied with researchers working on family histories. A third possibility is the upstairs area outside the Administrative Office. The Group Study Room may have people studying together and talking about a project, but if unoccupied it is open on a first come first served basis as long as a program is not scheduled for the space.

The library needs to become a vibrant part of the community. Having children discovering the treasure of our books and having customers engaged in conversation with staff and collogues is a good indicator of a library is a vibrant part of the community. At the same time the Library recognizes that we need to provide traditional service and space but the days of the Shushing librarian are gone for good.

The New City Library has a new comment card form. Pleae use one to tell us what you think next time you visit the library

E-Books for E-Kids

TumbleBookLibrary, e-books for kids is one of the newest services offered through the New City Library. This online collection features animated, talking picture books designed to teach children the joy of reading by taking existing picture books and adding animation, sound, music and narration to produce an electronic book. Families are able to read to their children or children may read independently.


Explore this exciting website as it features multiple selections ranging from books in Spanish and French to a variety of TumbleGames. The service is free; all that is needed is an internet connection. To view, go to the library’s home page, www.newcitylibrary.org. and under Bulletin Board, click on Tumblebook.


This database is one of the many services offered at the New City Library whose ongoing commitment is to offer the best and most current information to the public. For further information about TumbleBook Library, call the Children’s Department at 634-4997, ext 121.